Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Local launch for learning project

THE Esplanade at New Norfolk was the venue last week for the launch of an online learning adventure based on Tasmania's Derwent River.

Making science real and inspiring for students is the aim of the Bookend Trust adventure, which will traverse the river this August.

Dubbed Cirque2Sea, the expedition led by adventure educator and former Tasmanian of the year Andrew Hughes will follow the Derwent River from the Lake St Clair National Park to the Southern Ocean, with Hughes travelling by foot, raft and sea kayak.

Thousands of students will access the entire adventure from their classrooms through the Bookend Trust’s learning portal, expeditionclass.com

Mr Hughes said the expedition was a powerful way to get students motivated for science learning. For the official launch last week, he was joined by Grade 6 students from New Norfolk Primary School, along with the Federal Member for Lyons, Eric Hutchinson MHR, Derwent Valley mayor Martyn Evans, Derwent Estuary Program director Christine Coughanowr and a representative of the Mercury Newspapers in Education program.